MMA is considered the sport of blood and injuries. But almost every one of us realizes that injuries can become life-threatening at times. The punishment that MMA fighters take sometimes becomes scary to watch as well. The UFC octagon is no exception to such incidents. Fans may have witnessed a plethora of UFC stars knocked out cold by their rival’s brutal strikes. But many of them may wonder whether any of them have lost their lives in the UFC or not. Here’s a deeper dive to learn some more about the same.
Has anyone died in MMA?
Unfortunately, quite a few UFC stars like Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson, Kevin Randleman, and others had an untimely end to their lives. But the reason for their demise wasn’t the damage sustained from one fight. The UFC octagon and fans have never witnessed a fighter’s death to date from the effects of a single fight.
Former UFC fighter Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has died at the age of 38. pic.twitter.com/eZYBZ8x2lv
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 13, 2022
But there are lots of other MMA promotions in the world. Sadly, they haven’t been as fortunate as the UFC in this regard. A report from ‘Point Spreads‘ reveals that seven MMA fighters have succumbed to the damage they took inside the cage. The world of MMA received a major shock when Sam Vasquez fighting under Renegades Extreme Fighting became the first person to lose his life due to the damage he took in a sanctioned MMA fight.
Vasquez got knocked down by a punch from his rival Vince Libardi when they fought on 20 October 2007. However, he had a seizure following the punch and was rushed to the hospital. However, his condition never improved. Vasquez got into a 48-hour coma about a month after the bout, which ultimately ended with his death.
Here is a list of the other six fighters who also had to go through a similar fate:
- Michael Kirkham–Dash Entertainment, King MMA (26 June, 2010)
- Tyrone Mims–Conflict MMA Fight Night (11 August 2012)
- Booto Guylain–EFC AFRICA 27 (27 February 2014)
- Donshay White–Hardrock MMA 90 (16 July 2017)
- Rondel Clark–Cage Titans XXXV (12 August 2017)
- Mateus Fernandes–Remulus Fight (30 March 2019)
The sport of MMA is often considered to be a lot more brutal than its predecessor, boxing. But a comparison of the stats about the deaths of boxers and MMA fighters might leave several fans in bewilderment.
MMA deaths per year
The usage of bigger and completely covered gloves in boxing might make fans think that the sport is safer for the athletes than MMA. But the reality is completely the opposite.
The seven reported deaths in sanctioned MMA fights happened between 2007 and 2019. However, a report from ‘Way Of Martial Arts’ reveals that 21 boxers met their end within the same time frame. The fatality rate of boxing for this time frame stands at 1.75 as compared to MMA’s 0.58.
This is probably why combat sports athletes are often considered being modern-day warriors. They take to the ring even after knowing that the encounter might cost them their life as well.
